Hikers seek permission Group wants to continue using Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve trail

By TAN KARRWEI Hikers were recently denied entry down at several locations. would like to use so that the author• [email protected] into the forest by security guards "There has also been pollution in ities could look into the feasibility of stationed at the entrance. the river after people started using setting a perimeter and markers. Kinrara assemblyman , the waterfall," she said. UPMsenior lecturer and research• MP , Yusoff said under the current er Dr Manohar Mariapan said they Puchong, want to continue Forestry director Yusoff laws, only Selangor Forestry officers, would bring the matter to the uni• RESIDENTSusing the inAyerTamanHitamWawasan,Forest Muda, UPM Forestry dean Datin Dr UPM employees and UPM students versity board for further discussion. Reserve for hiking and morning Faridah Hanum Ibrahim and several were allowed into the forest. "We would have to set up focus exercise. faculty members of the department He said there was a diverse spe• groups with the stakeholders, The 1,176ha forest is under the attended the meeting moderated by cies of flora and fauna in the forest including the Forestry Department, jurisdiction of the Selangor Forestry Subang Jaya municipal councillor reserve that needed to be preserved before coming to a decision," he Department and now run by Chang Kim Loong. and the public might not realise said. Universiti Putra (UPM) Dr Faridah said the forest was the long-term effects if a large Meanwhile, the public has been Forestry Faculty for education, being used as an external laboratory number of people were allowed advised to stay out of the forest until research and extension in forestry. for forestry students undergoing into the forest. a decision has been made. Wawasan Hikers representative degree and post-graduate courses at Loo said hikers had been careful "Most of us do not even go to the Kelvin Loosaid all they wanted was a the university. not to destroy the plants in the for• waterfall after the trail was closed. place to hike. "We do have tree-planting activi• est and Wawasan Hikers group We know that it is out-of-bounds. "We have voluntarily formed a ties and LoveOur Riverprogrammes. members had even set up concrete We would like to set up a Rangers group to make sure the trail is kept The public can join us in our pro• blocks in front of the entrance when unit and work with the UPM to clean and we are willing to work grammes. they realised that there were people help look after the forest. with the relevant authorities as "We have found rubbish scattered driving their four-wheel-drive vehi• "Before this, we wanted to report long as we get to use the forest," in the forest and even empty beer cles up the trail. several incidents in the forest but Loo said during a meeting at the cans. There were also some people Kok said the hikers made known did not know how to go through the entrance to the forest in Jalan who took their motorbikes into the to the UPM and Selangor Forestry proper channels. We want to use the Wawasan 5/1. forest and trees have also been cut Department the exact trail that they trail only for hiking," he said.